Senator will continue presidential run if cancer-free

U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet has prostate cancer and is scheduled to undergo surgery later this month, he said late Wednesday.

“Late last month, I was diagnosed with prostate cancer,” the Denver Democrat said in a statement. “While hearing news like this is never easy, I am fortunate it was detected early, and as a result, my prognosis is good. During the upcoming Senate recess, I will have surgery in Colorado and return to work following a brief recovery.”

Bennet’s diagnosis was first reported by the Colorado Independent in a column. Bennet, 54, told the online outlet that he will proceed with plans to run for president in 2020 if he is cancer-free.

“The idea was to announce (a presidential run) sometime in April,” Bennet said in the story. “That was the plan. We hired some staff. We interviewed people for positions in New Hampshire and Iowa. And then I went for the physical. In my last physical, my PSA was high. They did a biopsy, and it was clear. But this time, it was not clear.”

Prostate-specific antigens, or PSAs, are measured to determine prostate cancer. It’s a common type of cancer but not as deadly as several other types of cancer, if diagnosed early.